Author: jeff

By now, you might’ve seen cute, colorful honeybears painted all around San Francisco. Some are your run-of-the-mill bears; others have hats and costumes, including one wearing headphones and another holding a lightsaber.

Turns out the artist behind these works is known as fnnch, and I spotted the art above at Powell Street Station earlier today. Here’s a message that fnnch sent out yesterday about it:

In August of 2015 I spoke to the BART Board of Directors and said:

“BART is sitting on one of the greatest collections of canvases in the entire world. As someone who creates street art I’ve come to see spaces a little differently than others might. […] Concrete is canvas. And BART not only has an incredible amount of concrete, it has some that is seen by an incredible number of people. This is a really valuable resource.”

When I moved to SF back in 2000, one of the first things I noticed about Muni Metro and BART trains is the lack of dancers and musicians on the train, a la NYC subways. That’s why it was especially refreshing to see this submission to @bartdiaries the other day, from Urban Baseball Chick.

I just … how do they … WUT?

Maybe you can help this old man ID exactly what this style of dance is called? It’s not poppin and lockin, or is it? Help!

Here at Muni Diaries, we love sequels. Case in point: Muni rider Joshua left the following comment on a post about one of our favorite Muni drivers, Tammy (she of Party on the 33-Stanyan fame). Here’s Joshua:

Met tammy yesterday as i hadnt had the exact of money she just let me hop on the bus while it was raining and i was a little lost in this city…. we had one of the most loveliest conversations about family bonds, human value over money and many more topics….we shared a really nice ride togehter and i hope from my bottom of my heart that she keeps that wonderful ability to brighten the day of everybody around her… tammy you really are a wonderful person and i wish you just the best

Your german son from another mother

Ps: yeah my mom was touched by the story of the lovly bus driver tammy who brought her son savely to his destination and i send you her thanks for that

So much to unpack here! For me, the thing that stands out the most is this bit: “human value over money.” I mean, yes, YES TIMES INFINITY!

Like Joshua, we hope that Tammy continues to “brighten the day of everybody around her.” But also, I’m hoping that Tammy’s world is bright, too.

Back in March 1967, the outcry of Sunset residents was loud and serious enough that Muni rerouted Haight Street buses around the growing scourge that was the Haight-Ashbury district.

The Chronicle’s Peter Hartlaub (he of this week’s Muni Diaries Podcast) unearthed his paper’s March 29, 1967 edition. There, sharing the front page with JFK’s widow, Jackie Kennedy, was the story by Mel Wax:

Back in 2014, journalist Peter Hartlaub took the stage at Muni Diaries Live to talk about the now-defunct 77X-Candlestick Express, a.k.a., the Muni Booze Cruise. That story is featured in this week’s podcast, and for that reason, we reached out to Peter to see if he had any “episode extras” he could send us. Boy, were we (and now, you!) in for a treat.

Here’s what Peter sent us:

Hello, Muni Diaries friends,

An update since my Muni Diaries tribute to the 77X Candlestick Express:

After the Muni Diary, I ended up going to the last game at Candlestick Park with my dad Phil Hartlaub, sister Toni Kam and aunt Susan Leal. I thought that would be my closure, but I was assigned to cover the last big event at the ‘Stick, Paul McCartney’s concert. I had seats on the field, but snuck up to Upper Box Section 32, and convinced an usher to let me sit in my family seats one more time – even though they were roped off. I listened to “Live and Let Die” and “Hey Jude,” then left.

Our Candlestick seats sit in my parents’ backyard. I’ve already retained a lawyer for the legal fight for them that will ensue between me and my sister when my parents are gone.

I haven’t traveled on a Muni Van Ness line since.

Wow. I love everything about this!!! (I’m willing to overlook the football parts.)

Lately, I’ve been inspired by today’s young people. One example: After all the gloom of last Friday, I went to see a high school play all about protest. It was incredibly uplifting to see these kids getting passionate and active about whatever cause inspires them.

Later that day, we got a submission from Stella, a self-proclaimed 8th grader. “Hi. I have commuted to James Lick Middle School on the 48 for 3 years. This is a short story I wrote about a fictional middle schooler riding the bus.” The theme of awesome youngsters continues for me.